Sydney Musical - Whats The Show

Menopause: The Musical

23/09/2025 Melissa Marsh🥉

Menopause The Musical Rating

★★★★★

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Menopause the Musical has been packing theatres around the world for more than two decades, and its Sydney season shows why. Built as a one-hour revue without interval, the show wastes no time on plot, instead linking pop classics with menopause-themed lyrics and broad comedy. It’s a format that could easily flag, but in Cameron Mitchell’s brisk staging the pace feels more like momentum than overload, sustained by four performers who never let the energy drop.

The archetypes are simple—Professional Woman, Soap Star, Housewife, Earth Mother—but the cast injects them with distinct flavour. Tara Morice, remembered by many as Fran from Strictly Ballroom, brings a real edge to her Professional Woman, most memorably when she trades businesswear for a shiny black top, skirt, and denim jacket to belt What’s Love Got to Do With It. Erika Heynatz, cast with a wink as the Soap Star given her Home and Away past, proves the standout vocalist, carrying numbers with clarity and ease. Melissa Langton’s Housewife combines warmth and honesty with gleeful broad comedy—her romp in red lingerie over her clothes is a crowd-pleasing highlight. Cherine Peck, reprising her role as Earth Mother, leans into the playfulness of the part, giving the ensemble an effervescent lift.

Christine Mutton’s costumes start in recognisable shorthand—power suit, flowing layers, domestic comfort, showbiz glam—before sliding into sillier territory. The red lingerie gag and the final sparkly outfits underline the production’s refusal to take itself too seriously while still keeping the glamour dialled up. Frances Story’s set is functional but bright, leaving space for the performers, while Jasmine Rizk’s lighting design proves versatile: bold washes carry the big numbers, but subtler effects sneak in, particularly during the hot-flash sequences where the humour lands visually as well as vocally.

The songs themselves—rewritten classics from the baby boomer songbook—are instantly familiar, and that recognition is half the joke. For an audience of “ladies of a certain age,” as the program knowingly puts it, the combination of nostalgia, camp, and shared experience is irresistible. Saturday night’s crowd responded with knowing laughter, cheers, and a standing ovation.

Menopause the Musical is not a show for subtlety or story. It’s a night of energy, glamour, and communal release. In this Sydney staging, thanks to a committed cast and slick creative team, the formula still works—and then some.

To book tickets to Menopause The Musical, please visit https://menopausethemusical.com.au/.

Photographer: David Hooley, Joel Devereux

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Bright Star – A Bluegrass Musical

12/09/202512/09/2025 Cherelle Flemming🥈

Bright Star – A Bluegrass Musical Rating

★★★★★

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The spectacular Bright Star musical presented by Sport For Jove Theatre Company, in association with Hayes Theatre Co, is a spellbinding must-see. Co-Directed by Miranda Middleton and Damien Ryan, Musical Direction by Alec Steedman and produced by Christopher Tomkinson and Isabella Milkovitsch, this creative team – along with their cast – have created an absolute masterpiece.

The magnificent cast left me in awe of their radiating talent. In the theatre world we talk about “triple-threat” performers who can sing, dance, and act. Well, this sensational cast raised the bar adding instrumental skills into the mix-quadruple threats!

This highly acclaimed production transports audiences to the 1920s and ‘40s in the American South. Steve Martin and Edie Brickell were inspired to write Bright Star after discovering an old newspaper article about the “Iron Mountain Baby” – an incredible true story of a baby’s miraculous survival after being thrown from a moving train inside a suitcase. Rescued and adopted by an elderly couple, this miraculous story sparked a reimagining that became this heartwarming, bittersweet tale.

Now to the music: the score is brilliant-one you’ll want to add to your playlist. The powerful bluegrass songs resonate with heartfelt emotion, striking the audience with every note. Congratulations to the Musical Director, Alec Steedman on an outstanding job of directing this talented cast to deliver an exhilarating performance. The impeccable harmonies and the all-round musicianship of the singers and instrumentalists were absolutely inspirational.

Hannah McInerney is sensational in the lead role of Alice Murphy. She took my breath away from the opening number with her angelic vocals, rich with Southern warmth. Her playful, engaging acting was both charming and humorous yet deeply moving in the poignant moments. At times, I was wiping away tears; at others, laughing in hysterics. Hannah kept me captivated throughout her intoxicating performance.

Kaya Byrne gave an electric performance as the charismatic Jimmy Ray. Kaya sings, plays guitar and harmonica with utmost professionalism, and conveys his character’s heartbreak and anguish with depth and honesty. Kaya’s emotive performance was deeply impactful, leaving my heart in my throat.

Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward is utterly delightful as Billy Cane. Expertly playing the cello during the show, he delivered the role with skill, energy and heart. His agile dance moves and magnetic stage presence enhanced an already brilliant performance.

Deirdre Khoo shines as Lucy, flawlessly showcasing her talents on accordion, vocals, dance and acting. Her show-stopping moves illuminated Shannon Burns’ masterful choreography. Deidre, alongside Jack Green who played the comedic Daryl, brought plenty of laugh-out-loud moments which kept the audience well entertained. Jack Green also played the sincere Daddy Cane, a contrasting character full of emotional depth and sincerity.

Genevieve Goldman, as the comedic relief character Margo,brought dynamic energy to the story. With fabulous comedic timing, striking vocals and impressive acting, Genevieve provided an engaging performance.

As the villainous Mayor, Seán van Doornum was remarkable. Portraying a detestable character convincingly can be difficult, but his superb performance captured the proud, unfeeling, and truly evil nature of the role.

Katrina Retallick and Rupert Reid as Mama and Daddy Murphy were a powerhouse duo. Katrina’s stunning vocals, especially her harmonies with Hannah, were unforgettable. Her raw intensity in the harrowing scenes amplified the emotional impact. Rupert’s portrayal of an uncompromising father, weighed down by regret, was equally striking—his natural, convincing delivery perfectly suited the show’s era.

Bright Star will make you laugh, cry and fall in love with its story and musical score. This impactful production, with its incredible stellar cast, is not to be missed. I am certain you will fall in love with it, just as I have.

To book tickets to Bright Star – A Bluegrass Musical, please visit https://www.sportforjove.com.au/bright-star-2025.

Photographer: Robert Catto

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Still Savouring: Castle Hill Players’ Tender and Sweet Production of ‘The Last Five Years’

26/07/2025 Isobel Knight🥉

The Last Five Years Rating

★★★★★

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‘The Last Five Years’ is an ambitious show to take on; a Jason Robert Brown score is no tame beast, and the intimate vulnerability required for this particular show to really fly asks a lot of its two actors. Castle Hill Players’ production, which runs from the 25th of July to August 16th, and has the pain and humour, the nuance and stillness, that this book and score deserve.

Director Julian Floriano has done a really wonderful job. The staging has to hold together story threads that are moving in opposite directions, and actors who barely have any points of physical interaction; Floriano has created spaces for the songs and actors to shine. Storytelling through character-building is the base required for this show to succeed and it is done excellently here.

Julian Badman of Your Place Architecture has designed a really beautiful and effective set; one of my personal favourites I’ve seen in a theatre recently. Gentle ripples of semi-sheer fabric hang in layered walls across the stage. At different times you can see characters or the band through them, or they are raised to reveal a scene in a new place. Cathy and Jamie (the two characters) move around each other through this mist, the curtains literally lifting to reveal moments of insight.

This show has a rotating cast, and the dates each will be performing is available at the booking link. Opening night began with Cassidy Donovan’s performance of ‘Still Hurting’ which is perhaps the song with the highest profile. Donovan is captivating from the start, and steps to the challenge of such a famous and devastating number with gentle ease. Her comedic moments are some of the highlights, and her energy is excellent.

Levi Burrows’ Jamie is goofy and ambitious, and he nails the moments where Jamie has an open flank. For much of the second act to resonate, Jamie needs to be someone the audience connects to genuinely, and Burrows catches the youthful joy and genuine love to do this.

David Catterall leads the small and mighty band excellently, and the sound mix meant the strings, played by Jade Jacobs, Heather Hinrichs and Ian Macourt, can harmonise evenly and beautifully Chris Everest’s lovely guitar playing. Catterall plays Jason Robert Brown’s intricate piano parts with a delicate touch, and Dominic Yeap-Holliday holds down the rhythm section (on bass) with aplomb. Bernard Teuben’s sound design across the entirety of this trip to the theatre was excellent; I hope the lobby playlist was curated specifically for this because it fit perfectly.

This is the only full-fledged musical on the books for the Castle Hill Players this year, and is definitely worth seeing. If you are not a fan of a the big song and dance of traditional musical theatre, this really good production of this award winning show offers a different way into the art-form. This is a very human story told with both humour and compassion by a skilled cast and band.

To book tickets to The Last Five Years, please visit https://paviliontheatre.org.au/the-last-five-years/.

Photographer: Chris Lundie

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Chicago: Tall & Short Theatre Co

27/05/202527/05/2025 Melissa Marsh🥉

Chicago Rating

★★★★★

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This production of Chicago by Tall and Short Theatre Co delivers the show’s signature sharp cynicism with an especially bold edge, amplified by a small, versatile cast playing multiple roles as well as minimal costumes and set. These choices not only showcases the actors’ range but also deepens the show’s inherent themes of duplicity and moral ambiguity, underscoring the story’s cynical view of fame, justice, and human nature.

Michael Astill’s portrayal of Billy Flynn is a highlight, delightfully sleazy and utterly captivating. His numbers sparkle, particularly the brilliantly coordinated and high-energy “We Both Reached for the Gun” with Katie Wallis as Roxie. Astill’s commanding presence during the trial scene truly owns the stage, driving the drama with a magnetic intensity that resonated strongly with the audience.

Katie Vials shines with her singing, especially in “Roxie” and “Funny Honey,” bringing depth and nuance to her roles. Amelia Smith’s quiet tragedy as Hunyak adds a poignant contrast, while Willow Twine’s bold and wild energy as Velma injects thrilling dynamism into the dance sequences.

Elizabeth Ellis gives a memorable performance as Matron Mama Morton, skillfully capturing the character’s dual nature. On one hand, Morton is as calculating and transactional as Billy Flynn. But Ellis also brings genuine warmth to her interactions with Velma and, most touchingly, with Hunyak—moments that suggest real affection and loyalty beneath the surface. It’s the duet Class with Velma that truly reveals the character’s vulnerability.

Nathaniel Lawson brings a gentle sincerity to the role of Amos Hart, providing a much-needed emotional anchor amidst the show’s swirling satire. Apparently playing against type, Lawson’s portrayal is refreshingly understated, allowing Amos’s quiet dignity and hurt to shine through. His rendition of Mister Cellophane is performed with real heart — not played for laughs, but as a sincere, aching moment of loneliness and invisibility.

The choreography is exceptional — not only skillful and vibrant but notably inclusive, featuring Liam Liff performing in a wheelchair, marking a powerful and inspiring first for this production. The ensemble’s tight coordination and spirited movement bring the show’s biting satire to life.

Overall, Tall and Short Theatre Co’s Chicago is a compelling, razor-sharp musical experience that balances cynicism and spectacle, buoyed by standout performances and inventive staging.

To book tickets to Chicago, please visit https://www.tstheatreco.com/productions/.

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